Lundbeck Limited, A Menarini Pharma, Bayer plc, HRA Pharma UK and GlaxoSmithKline breach the ABPI Code of Practice

Lundbeck – Case AUTH/2617/7/13
A Menarini – Case AUTH/2629/8/13
Bayer plc – Case AUTH/2631/8/13
For each sponsoring one or two speakers and paying for exhibition space at a meeting which was not primarily for educational purposes and the impression given by their involvement, each company was ruled in breach of the following clauses of the Code:
Clause 2 - Bringing discredit upon, and reducing confidence in, the pharmaceutical industry
Clause 9.1 - Failing to maintain high standards
Clause 19.1 - Failing to meet the requirements for meetings.

HRA Pharma UK – Case AUTH/2624/8/13
As a result of emails sent by a representative to a health professional regarding the provision of an emergency contraception service and the use of ellaOne (ulipristal acetate), HRA Pharma was ruled in breach of the following clauses of the Code:
Clause 2 - Bringing discredit upon, and reducing confidence in, the pharmaceutical industry
Clause 7.2 - Making a misleading claim
Clause 7.10 - Making an exaggerated claim
Clause 8.2 - Disparaging a service provision
Clause 9.1 - Failing to maintain high standards
Clause 15.2 - Failing to maintain a high standard of ethical conduct.

GlaxoSmithKline – Case AUTH/2649/10/13
As a result of a voluntary admission that it had not formally certified materials relating to a joint working project with the NHS until some months after the project had started, GlaxoSmithKline was ruled in breach of the following clauses of the Code:
Clause 2 - Bringing discredit upon, and reducing confidence in, the pharmaceutical industry
Clause 9.1 - Failing to maintain high standards
Clause 14.3 - Failing to certify joint working materials before use.

The advertisements will appear in BMJ Clinical Research and The Pharmaceutical Journal on 1 March 2014, The Nursing Standard on
5 March 2014 and BMJ General Practice on 8 March 2014.